Valve Officially Stepping Into Hardware

Through some qualification listings on a recent job opening for “Industrial Designers,” Valve has officially stated that they are stepping into the hardware design business. Speaking of their disappointment with current PC hardware, Valve explained, “We’re frustrated by the lack of innovation in the computer hardware space though, so we’re jumping in. Even basic input, the keyboard and mouse, haven’t really changed in any meaningful way over the years.”

The Industrial Designer listing specifies the need for “6+ years of professional experience shipping world-class, high-tech hardware products” and a “thorough understanding of product design principles.” This announcement recalls earlier rumorsof the Steam Box, Valve’s (denied) attempt at making a console to run Steam games. While such a return to full hardware development seems unlikely, such a position seems to have the developer/publisher looking into R&D for input devices, at least.